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Indigenous Homelessness In Canada

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In the first few chapters written by Peters, E.J & Christensen, J. we have explored the deep-rooted issues involving Indigenous Homelessness in Canada. In the first chapter the authors expanded our definition of homelessness but including sub-categories such as “sleeping rough”, “absolute homelessness”, “hidden homelessness” and “at risk for homelessness”. Hidden homelessness can be further expanded as to define situations of living that include “transition homes, jails, detoxification centers; living in overcrowded unstable or inadequate housing; “couch surfing”; and at risk of being [absolute] homeless. For the total homeless population in Canada, 40% are Aboriginal. In Vancouver in 2007, it was suggested that 70% of the homeless population …show more content…
I usually try to help as much as I am able, when I know I’m going down town I pack extra granola bars and hand them out as I walk to my destination. If I’m going out to eat in Gastown, I’ll pack up my leftovers and give them to the first person I see. To hear statistic like 70% of the homeless population in Vancouver is hidden or 40% of the total homeless population Canada wide are Aboriginal, is so disheartening (Peters & Christensen, 2016). I always thought that the reason basically no outside the Aboriginal communities knew the pain and suffering that was being inflicted through the residential school era was because of a lack of knowledge or access to information. In my head, I though the reason people of colour didn’t stand up and speak out on behalf of another marginalized group was because they were still getting used to Canada and didn’t know much about the political climate and years of institutionalized racism has taught them it was safer to keep their heads down. But to hear statistics like there are more children in state care now then at the peak of residential schools is insane. How is that going on now and why isn’t it a main concern Canada wide? We have the internet, there are published scholarly journals that have empirical evidence so why isn’t more be done to help support families and to teach socials workers about understanding and respecting a different way of life. So, I’ve decided I’m not going to be a bystander, I’m not going to allow history to write out my

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